Pikelets are the New Zealand (and Australian) afternoon-tea staple — tiny, thick, yeasted pancakes, smaller and thicker than crêpes, eaten cold with jam and whipped cream. They are the food of every NZ childhood, the first thing many Kiwi kids learn to cook, served at every school fête and community gathering.
Pikelets are a New Zealand and Australian afternoon-tea institution, related to the British pikelet (a wider, thinner griddle cake) but distinct in NZ/Australia for their small, thick, slightly-yeasted character. They are the first thing many Kiwi children learn to cook — simple, fast, and rewarding. Eaten cold (unlike American pancakes which are hot), with jam and cream, or just butter, they are the staple of every school fête, church fundraiser, and grandmother's kitchen. The name 'pikelet' in NZ refers specifically to these small, thick, hand-sized pancakes.
A small, golden, thick pancake, about the size of a saucer, with tiny holes on the surface. Bite in: soft, slightly spongy, faintly sweet. Spread with jam and cream — or just butter — and eat three. They are the most comforting, most ordinary, most beloved tea-time food in New Zealand.
The batter is thicker than crêpe batter but thinner than American pancake batter — it uses one egg, milk, and a little baking (or yeast, in older recipes). The pikelets are cooked on a hot greased griddle or pan, 2 tablespoons of batter per pikelet, for just 1-2 minutes per side until golden. They are turned only once. The key is small size (about 8 cm diameter) and a relatively thick, spongy texture. They are eaten cold, which is what distinguishes them from hot pancakes.
Variations
Some use yeast instead of baking powder; some add a little golden syrup; some serve them hot; the toppings vary (jam, cream, lemon, honey).
On the Palate
Where Pikelets sits in the New Zealand flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
9 steps · 20 min active + 10 min waiting
- 13 min
Beat 1 egg with 1/4 cup sugar until light.
- 23 min
Sift 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt; whisk in alternately with 3/4 cup milk to a smooth, thick batter.
- 315 min
Rest 15 minutes.
- 42 min
Heat a greased pan or griddle over medium-low heat.
- 51 min
Drop tablespoons of batter into the pan, leaving room for spreading.
- 62 min
Cook 1-2 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges set.
Watch outFlip only when bubbles break across the whole surface and the edges look set — turning too soon and the middle stays raw and slumps.
- 71 min
Flip; cook 1 minute more until golden.
Watch outThe second side needs just a minute to a light gold — pikelets should stay soft and spongy, so don't dry them out.
- 85 min
Cool on a rack.
- 91 min
Serve cold with jam and whipped cream.
